Appropriations committee approves multiple agency budgets, introduces governor's supplemental appropriation

The House Committee on Appropriations on Jan. 26 introduced the governor's supplemental and "mega" appropriation bill (RS 26RS2792) and voted to approve budgets and recommendations for a slate of state agencies, including the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Pooled Money Investment Board, the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission, and several fee-funded regulators.

Chairperson Walsinger opened the meeting by moving to introduce the governor's supplemental package, RS 26RS2792, a motion seconded by Representative Helgerson and entered by voice vote. The committee then proceeded through a series of agency budget report-outs scheduled for the week.

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) presented a revised 2026 estimate of $2,100,000 and 14 FTEs, a decline the chair attributed to salary reclassification. "The mission of the Office of Administrative Hearings is to conduct efficient, fair, and impartial hearings for constituents and other affected parties," Chairperson Walsinger said while outlining caseload figures. Staff said caseloads vary: 2025 averaged about 492 cases per judge, with agency estimates of 478 for 2026 and 499 for 2027. After…